Peridot's Stephan Stephan? Steven
by MouthofChayton
Summary: Peridot becomes enamored. With whom you ask? Steven. You guessed it. Steven. Follow's Steven Universe episode 21 and 22 until the very middle of 22. Spoilers. Story where I don't break the SU innocence.


(Everything in this story is not owned by me or the people who helped me write this story. All property is owned by the creators of Steven Universe and possibly Cartoon Network. Please support the Official Release.)

"Goodnight ominous triangle at the foot of my bed."

'Crap he noticed me.'

Peridot ducked down and quickly scurried to the head of the bed.

"Oh, whatever." He apparently didn't 'notice' her.

Not wanting to waste the chance she grabbed him and dragged him to the teleportation platform. He wanted to say something judging by the muffled cries from him.

They quickly reached the main earth teleportation warp hub. That's what it was called on her screen so she went with it. The gems called it something else though. The homeworld pad? The homeworld warp.

He just got out of her grip as soon as they got off the pad. She was tired and scared. The cluster was coming and she didn't have time for this!

"Enough of this!" Peridot sent her own personally created prison bubble to hold the Stephan. Stephan? Steven.

"What do you want from me?"

He wanted an answer? He would most certainly get an answer. "I want to get off this lousy, gem forsaken planet!" She dropped the bubble. He landed on his back.

"Huh?" Did he not hear her? He sat up confused! She wasn't going to repeat herself again.

"You have to fix this!" She gestured to the pad.

"Wait what?" Was he not listening?! There was no time to explain! The cluster could come out at any moment!

"You're my last chance. I've got no flask robonoids, I've got no foot, I've got no response from Yellow Diamond!" That was the worst part! She had no guidance at all! "I know you fixed Lazuli's gem! Whatever you did, you got to do it to the homeworld warp! OR else!" She brought out the mega death ray of death, or the gem paralyzer beam of nothing special. It looked intimidating though.

"Oh, ok! Just give me a second." He better not contact the other gems! "My mouth gets really dry when I'm scared." He sat up on his knees. He did some sort of sucking thing with his mouth, produced a liquid from his mouth onto his palm, then slammed it into the warp with all of the strength she assumed he had. Nothing happened.

"What was that? It didn't do anything!"

"It doesn't always work." He looked sheepish, he was telling the unfortunate truth, a truth she couldn't accept.

"No… No no no no, NOO! It has to work!" Could he perhaps try again? No he would've tested it before if that were the case, he looked to honest in his face to be hiding that.

"I'm really sorry." There was that honest look again. The look which would've been praised in any other situation, but only served to loosen her resolve. That look…

"Heh." That look sent her off into a giggle, a final release of the stress she carried. No more hope, no more fighting. "This was it. This was my last shot." Perhaps she could move into those mountains she passed by earlier in her pod. No life forms were up there. Wait the cluster would get her. "I'm going to die here." She couldn't give up hope, but there was no chance. All she could do is let loose a few sobs.

"Hey, hey, come on! Earth isn't that bad." He was right there, those mountains…

"It doesn't matter what earth is like! It's not going to be like anything soon!"

"What do you mean?" Might as well tell him how they were going to die. Wait… The warp pad!

The crystal gems formed on it, they ran to steven as she tried to look for a warp pad that she knew had another in close proximity to it.

"Peridot." One of the gems said her name. She turned, Ruby? Ruby. Ruby said her name.

"Why can't you just leave me alone!"

"Gems, move!" Ruby shouted. Peridot fired her death ray at them. A volley of green were all they would see ever again. But they missed of course, she wasn't a soldier, she was a technician. So she tried to fly away. The whip one, amethyst, caught her though. No matter, this happens alot when you fly away with helicopter fingers, she sent an electric paralyzer down the cord.

"Not this time!" Ruby grabbed the cord and somehow sent the current back at her, she would read up on that lat- Eeeh! She was then, before she recovered from the shock, sent down into the ground.

"Wait! Wait." The white one, Opal, Opal? Pearl/Opal, file that away for later, came up behind her. "You need me! I'm the only one who knows about the-!" Ruby, ruby? Garnet grabbed her abdomen, then crushed it.

Bleh! "-Cluster you insufferable half worm traitor mega clods!" She had no arms now. Well she still had an arm, but she was missing her extender thingy, what was it's name again?

"Oh my gosh! You're so- cuuuute!" Limb enhancers! That's what the name was!

"My limb enhancers!" Steven was circling her, and she noticed she was also missing her leg enhancer's too. "Where are my limb enhancers!"

"Aw! You're like… an angry little slice of pie." She would not stand for this name!

"Stop talking! I demand to know what this place is and where I-" A pink bubble caught her eye, then another, then all of them. "Oh my stars… You're going to harvest me!?"

"No! I-I mean-" She couldn't take any more of this, she reached out a hand to stop him from talking, he didn't understand. The crystal gems were probably all behind this, and when Steven grew of age, he would join them in their nefarious plot.

"Ow! That hurt." What.

"It did?" The other tool she had earlier didn't hurt him. So… was this what those soldiers were talking about? Was this a punch?

"Yeah, a lot!" She did another one. "Ow!"

"Yesss! Feel my unbridled rage!" She kept doing it. The soldiers said that their punches were slow, but her's were fast! That was probably her power! Fast punches! He stopped them. She did not like those hands, they restrained her with a warm grip that kept her from punching him.

"Hey! Hey! Hey…" He let go of her hands. She prepped for another punch as soon as her hands were free from that insufferable grip. "What's that on your shirt?"

"What's a shirt?" 'Agh my nose!' "Ow!" He then laughed. A fun laugh, as though punching her was nothing wrong! She lunged at him! "That's it!"

Punch. Punch. Punchity Punch! "Why are you acting like this?" He wasn't down yet, soldiers said that two to three punches would normally knock out a gem. She was probably cursed with faster punches but weaker ones. Maybe a speech of rage would help her power!

"You smashed me into a limbless cloud! You trapped me in your bubble dungeon and you! You called me, CUTE!" Oh… This was a punch.

*Thump*

He dodged and she fell onto her face. "I didn't poof you! I freed you!" What?

She turned to face him. Why would he do that? Did he want her info? Did he want to know of the cluster? Did he want… She hid behind her legs to hide her face. "Why would you make such a miscalculation?"

"Back at the warp pad… What were you trying to say?" Oh he wanted that… Kay… "Why do we need you? What do you know?"

"What do I know? Everything there is to know about the cluster, you pebble!" Nobody appreciated the pebbles. Darn those pebbles, always pebbling all over the Gem city of Crystal Sky!

"Cluster? Wait… Pebble?"

"My mission… The reason why I'm on this sad rock in the first place!" They had some nice rocks… in the mountains. "I was to check progress on the Cluster! Just in and out, before it hatches. I wasn't supposed to get stuck here!" He looked on at her confused. "But now… It's going to emerge and nothing can stop it, and we'll all be shattered!" The ultimate point of no recovery! The true death of a gem! The Shattering!

"Ok, okay wait. Slow down." Steven apparently didn't understand. "Now from the top." He sat down. "Emerging… Hatching… Cluster's."

"You want to know?" Did he want to know?

"Yes." He apparently did.

"You really want to know?" Did he really want to know?

"Yes." He did.

"What's your shirt?"

"These are my banana pyjamas!" She flicked his nose. "Ow!"

She than ran. No wonder Steven laughed… that was fun! She ran up to the door.

"Wait! Don't run away!"

"Nyerh haha!" She ran out the door laughing.

"Stop! Their going to see you!"

"Haha! Freedom is MINE!" Were those the Crystal Gems? Those were the Crystal Gems.

"Wait!" Steven got in front of her. Was he trying to help her? He shouldn't have done that, she could handle this by herself. Use the old shirt trick, but her version.

"Look! Another planet to betray!" That was apparently the wrong thing to say.

They all ran at her. "Retreat!" They blocked the door.

"Oh no you don't!" Opal said. Opal? No that's a Pearl!

She ran up to where Steven slept. The purple one was there.

"Heyyy."

She ran the opposite direction of the Gems. Which meant falling from Steven's room onto her face then into some other room where she locked the door behind her.

"You may have won the war, but the battle isn't over! Crystal Clods!" Was that right? Maybe.

Peridot looked around the room she entered. It was some sort of archaic… think chamber judging by the seat, the cover sheet and that robe thing attached to the wall. It was much more roomy than her advanced thinking chamber, she had a better think robe though to make up for it. There was a fresh hint of earth citrus that was probably some strange way to help the Crystal gems think. She could use this thing for her escape.

They were trying to get in. "Peridot open the door!" That was Garnet.

She activated the escape lever. "If you're trying to flush yourself down the toilet… it won't work."

Show what she knows! She was getting lower as she spun… Or at least she was…

"Trust me. I've tried."

Maybe she could escape down this other hole. It was farther up more than the other one.

"-Something called the cluster."

"Cluster? That's new."

"What else did she tell you?"

"That's all I got." Darn right that's all he got. All they would get too.

"That's right you dirtbombs! You don't even know what's coming!" Back to the ho- oh what's this? An image of her? Was there a camera somewhere? She wished she had her screen.

"I'm tired of playing these games. If we can't fight her then fine. We'll talk. Peridot!" Okay she missed everything up to when Garnet said her name. But she was studying the image projectbacker. "No more fighting. Let's just have a civil discussion."

"As if I'd negotiate with you! Filthy warmachine!" Peridot grabbed the thinking staff.

"Ok… Let's fight." Peridot hopped up to where the cover sheet was to get a vantage point.

"Yeah! Destroy me again! And have fun trying to talk to me when I'm in a bubble!" She let go and fell. Not on purpose mind you but she was very lucky as she found yet another hole. Also she still held on with her leg. So that was a thing.

She jumped down and switched the escape lever. Ack! Hot! Hot!

Helpful Steven cried out. "You have to turn the knob the other way for cold!"

At least he cared about her. She couldn't hate him. He was just doing what was right in his view. Her view of right was following orders. Plus he thought she was cute.

*Thump*

N-No… That was an insult. It must've been custom for eathians to insult the confidence and meanness of others. Because everybody on earth was evil. The Crystal Gems… Rose Quartz The Warlord… Mayor Dewie…

Yeah everybody was evil there… Except for Steven.

*Thump*

She had to think on this.

A knock startled her.

"Peridot?" Huh? What? Why was Steven there? "Can I come in? I need to get ready for the day."

"No." She responded. Even if Steven was nicer than the others he was still young. Well so was she but that didn't matter. She even used limb enhancers to look older so she would be respected. Only Jasper out of all the Gems on earth knew about it… until today… or yesterday.

"I have something for you." A gift? As far as Peridot knew only Fused Gems got each other gifts. What was this something… Oh her foot.

She closed the door… then opened it as she jumped away… He might have a weapon, this was the perfect time for the Crystal gems to indoctrinate him into their evil ways… Send him to restrain her. But she had made a deal… Even if it was unmentioned.

He walked in… He didn't have a weapon. That must either mean this was the weapon armory or he was going to assault her with his fists.

"What a great souvenir of that other time you assaulted me."

"Oh right… Sorry. I can take it back." Trickery won't help you!

"No! It's too late!" Where did he get this? If he kept this he might have the other parts. "You wouldn't happen to have the rest?"

"Oh… Yeah… Sorry. We lost them." He said sorry a lot. Also he was doing something to his face. That image thing was apparently used for looking at yourself only. "Well… We kinda threw them away."

What? Aw… how could she be taken seriously by Yellow Diamond if she ended up looking like this? "Could you pass that?" What? Oh that thing. Fell off of the round elevated tub thing. Must've been a weapon.

"Is this a weapon?" She held it up so that if he decided to charge at her he would not make it far.

"Only for cavities." Oh those things. Yeah those things… Those darn cavities. She needed her screen. She knew it had something to do with teeth, and Steven wanted to get rid of them. Steven wasn't evil enough to destroy something that easily. They must hurt him in some way. She handed the thing over to Steven.

He stuck it in his mouth. She looked at it as it swished in his mouth, his cheeks puffing out as he brushed away at his teeth. Daww- Wait what was that.

"Is that a weapon?"

"No that's a comb I never use." She checked the door quickly, Amethyst waved at her as she peeked out. She hurried back and saw Steven looking at her with the strange robe in his hands.

"Is that a weapon?"

"Hmm? Oh… Well I guess if you get it wet and roll it up!" He said as it was wet and he rolled it up.

Peridot cowered in fear. Oh no! This was it! The evil of the Crystal Gems were being spread to Steven. This was only training!

"Look I know you're scared… But… I'm not going to hurt you." Huh? She looked up. Some tears were blocking her eyes. Why was she so scared of Steven? She blinked them away. "And whatever's going on, whatever this cluster is. I wanna help." He looked gentle and concerned. Confidence brisking the sides of his eyes. He gave her that look before… She knows he did.

But Steven had no power's… He wasn't smart… He was only a person who was concerned amongst a world of evil. They kept him weak and knowledgeable.

"I doubt you can help me. But I… Appreciate the offer."

He smiled… Then he pointed. "Do you mind moving? I need to use that."

… What?

"For what?"

SKIPPITY SKIPPY FOX GO! I'M SURE NOT COVERING THIS.

(Two minutes later)

"Open the door Peridot! If this 'Cluster' is putting us in danger, you need to tell us what it is so we can stop it!"

"No! I hate you! I'm not telling you anything about the cluster!"

"Oh come on! Is it like a big… hunk of Granola?" The heck's granola?

"What's granola?"

"I'm sure it's not granola." A soft voice said. Was that Opal/Pearl? That was Opal/Pearl. "Now Peridot. I'm sure we can reach some sort of agreement. Perhaps a trade is in order?"

"Oh sure! Why don't you just give me back my Leg enhancements and my arm attachments with my screen and my log and all my information." And Steven so he doesn't get corrupted by you clods! "Oh wait! You destroyed them! So no I don't think we can reach some sort of agreement!"

Suddenly a watery sound came from behind her.

"Okay Peridot you can turn around now." That cute face was so innocent, he didn't even realize he just interrupted a civil discussion. She let him out despite her wanting not to. The Gems would probably break down the door if she did.

"Sorry for interrupting your, interrogation." Oh he did know. He just didn't care. Peridot didn't know if she should be mad that steven interrupted or glad that he stopped her from blowing a casket.

"I swear Peridot is going to crack any second now!" Did she now?

"I'll never crack for the likes of you! You… You Crystal Clods!" Peridot laughed in her victory.

"Oh I got your clods right here you little-!"

"Pearl stop. If she's not going to be of any help, let's investigate this thing on our own."

'Good luck… Crystal Clods.' Peridot decided she would use that name for them from now on.

"She's harmless without her limb enhancers."

"I'm not harmless!" 'I can throw a punch!'

"Oh hush up!"

"Oh Steven! There's one more thing I need to mention!" That was bad… The usually calm Garnet sounded worried.

"What is it?"

"I love you… Bye…" What? What is love?

*Thump*

"See you later…"

Peridot decided to look up on this some more.

Meaning she thought about it in the shower because she didn't have her screen. Steven showed her how to use it.

"-Left you know. You can come out now."

"No! I… I- I like it in here." She really didn't. She was drying herself off with the robe thing.

"Okaay."

*Crack*

'What was that?' Peridot thought to herself. That… she never came across during her time on earth.

*BOOM*

She slammed out of the think chamber. It was happening.

"It's happening!" She ran over to Steven.

"What?" What did he mean, 'What?'. Was it not obvious due to that horrible noise?

"The clusterrr!"

"Really?!"

"What else could be making that horri- *Crack* AaH!" She clung onto Steven's shoulder. "It's pounding on the earth from the inside! This is it!" She sobbed into Steven's cloth thing. She was going to get shattered! She was going to die as well as Steven! "This is the end of the world!"

"Oh that's just thunder."

"What."

"Yeah everything is fine, it's just thunder. It happens when it rains." Now would be a good time to let go of Steven's shoulder, but she didn't want to.

"Ah, huh."

"You don't know about rain?"

"I don't know anything without my screen." If she did she would've been like 'Ah yes the rain, it comes from atop the mountain peaks.

"It's okay. Here." He put his hand on the lid of the pot thing. "Pretend this soup," Soup? "Is the ocean. When the sun warms it up, the water evaporates into clouds." He opened the lid and steam came out, she knew about that even without her screen. "And when the clouds get real heavy, it rains." The pot lid had moisture on it. Huh… What a strange planet.

"So scalding liquid pours down from the sky?" It was kind of hard to believe. She hoped it wasn't like her first time in the shower.

"No no… It's just water. It can't hurt you." He put down the ladle he held. "Here… why don't I just… Show you." He walked over to the door.

Peridot ran over hoping to get him before he got burnt to a moist crisp as soon as he stepped out… But he didn't.

"Steven!" She needed his shoulder. He ran out even further. "Wait!" Oh dear… It was all around outside. She was safe in here.

"Come on!" Steven called out from the rain, "Look I'm okay it's just water." He was having fun… "This is just something that happens on earth. Isn't it cool?" He ran around a bit more, enjoying it like she enjoyed the shower that morning.

He slipped and Peridot almost ran out to make sure he was alright. Then he got up and proceeded to run around again.

Peridot still wasn't sure… so she stuck her hand out… She got wet. Not a heat filled wet, but the pleasant cold wet. She stepped out. The rain pelleted on her massaging her stress away.

"Yeah you did it!" There was that voice again. Even from the house she could see the sparkle in his eyes. "What do you think? Isn't it cool?"

*Thump*

"Cool." Cool indeed. Cool indeed.

Too cool.

She stepped back inside… Before she got wet again.

"Haha ha!" Steven ran back in again. "Why'd you come back in?" Steven inquired as he stopped.

"It… It looks like fun… but it isn't controllable like the shower." She was pacing. Thinking about everything Steven related.

"Yeah… Though, that was fun… Huh?" He was drying off his hair.

"Yeah… it was…" 'Something' "Fun. Even if I only stayed out for a little bit." She contemplated her next words. He was knowledgeable about everything earth related. Maybe he might know about these weird feelings she was having. "Steven."

"Hmm?"

"I am going to say something…" What was she going to say? 'I'm having these weird feelings' 'I have a feeling' 'Thank you…' 'Thank you.' "Thank you."

"Uhh. What for?" 'For making me feel this way, for showing me how to enjoy myself even if for a bit, for simply being the nicest thing on this gem forbidden planet.'

"For explaining this… Rain business." 'You nailed it Peridot, you blew him away. You really did,' "You are a very smart person, unlike what I initially believed."

"Oh yeah, no problem and thanks."

"Much more better than those clods. Steven!" He widened his eyes in surprise. "I've made up my mind!"

"About what, exactly?"

"I've decided to share some, information! … With you." 'Perfect Peridot just keep it rolling, you'll nail this in no time. Wait? Nail what exactly? … Hello? Oh yeah I'm the only one here.'

"Oh I already know you used my toothbrush."

"Uh, no. Well yes." 'He must never know where it is, above the shower head for safekeeping. Oh dear I'm going mad without my datapad screen.' "But that's not what I wanted to share. It's about the cluster."

*Gasp* "You cracked!"

"I haven't cracked!"

"Wait. You have to tell the Gem's!" 'No!' "They need to know this!"

"No! I don't want to talk to them! You're the only one I need! I could show you now but I have nothing! My arm attachments! My screen! My log! It's all gone! But all my logs up to date 6.5.2 still exist. Backed up in the prime Kindergarten!"

"You want me to take you to the kindergarten? I don't know…"

"Steven don't you want to know about the cluster?" The feelings could wait.

"Hmmm. Okaa-ay. We can go to the kindergarten."

Peridot regretfully let go to jump for joy in the air. "OH YES!"

"But!"

"Ack! No. A catch! Fine! What are your demands!?"

"You're going to have to hold my hand the whole time." That was unexpected…

*Thump*

She didn't mind of course, Steven even gave her that one other look other then that other one. The one with the sparkle.

The grip was warm, she couldn't sweat in her palm! What if he didn't like that? But she wouldn't have any problem with not letting go… In fact she didn't want to let go.

They entered the Kindergarten from the warp. Dark and dreary as always.

"We're here!"

"Okay great! Let's go!" She then ran forward. She however forgot that she hand no enhancements and was also holding Steven's hand, well she was aware of Steven's hand and was too focused on that to actually think about what she was doing, so she fell off the edge of a cliff that ended right in front of the warp.

They landed. Hard. Peridot was in a lot of pain. Pain that quickly faded. Gems were durable. What sped up this process somehow was Steven's hand going back to her's.

*Thump Thump*

(Two seconds later)

They were wandering through the Kindergarten, trying to find the managment place.

"This place keeps getting worse everytime I come here."

"I know. It's been so poorly managed. It must've been in way better shape when you first emerged."

"Emerged?"

"Yeah. You must be some kind of quartz right? You must've been made here."

"Uh…" Umm. That didn't sound good. "I came from my mom and dad."

"Are those some kind of rocks? Or another planet?" She'd never heard of those. Mumadad… Huh.

"Nope. My dad's from earth but my mom's a gem." He lifted up his shirt to reveal a gem in the center of his belly.

"You're some sort of… hybrid? How is that possible?"

"The answer to that is something my Dad taught me. He called it love."

There was that word again. "What is that? I heard Garnet mention it earlier."

"When two people love each other very much, a stor-"

"No not that… What is love in general?"

"Uhh. Umm." Steven put a finger to his mouth in ponder. "My dad said it was when a person wanted a person with all their heart, like a pull that made him want to keep close to my mom. When you want to protect someone with all of your strength… even if you were to weak to fight their enemies. You never could lie to them, nor could you part with them."

Peridot closed her mouth. Swallowed. "How does one show they have love if they don't have the chance to do any of that?"

"Oh Garnet showed me that. When you get into fights with the person you love you always forgive them afterwards, you hug them to keep them close and this thing with your mouth." He sat down as they reached the green management station. "It's called kissing, I don't want to talk about it though, it's Garnet's pri-"

"No!" Peridot hugged onto him, like the shoulder thing but closer. "You will talk about it Steven."

"Okay... " He looked as though he was thinking something. "You put your mouths together and then you-" Any more talking would've ruined it.

Peridot threw her mouth onto Steven's, a quick peck. While she could've gone further, she only just barely worked up the courage to do even that.

Steven's face's features widened as though he came to a conclusion.

"Nyheheh." Peridot laughed as she cuddled into Steven.

"That's why you wanted to know!" He smiled that kind smile of his. "I don't feel the same way though."

Peridot's heart dropped… she backed away and crawled over to a pillar. She sat against it, gravity itself stopping her from moving. She then rolled onto her side, cradling herself. They corrupted him, they must've, no Steven Universe she knew would reject her. She made a promise though. She had to fulfill it.

She got up shakily to her feet. She was moving to the panel when her hand was grabbed. She looked back and saw Steven faintly smiling.

"I may not feel the same way Peridot… but I'm sure I can later."

Her eyes welled up with tears. Was this… Acceptance?

She hugged back into Steven. He put his arm around her in an embrace. This felt perfect. If the Cluster would come down now she wouldn't care… But Steven would.

She pushed away. Steven had a worried look that she sent a happy smile at.

"We need to save the world. I'll need both my arms to open the panel."

She walked over and opened it, but only part way. It was stuck… She couldn't get it open. She fell to her knees, maybe she could get Steven to feel the same before the Cluster burst open the earth.

Her lines of thought were stopped as her hand was grabbed and she was twirled behind Steven. She was somehow leaning back. She looked down, er sideways? Looked over at Steven who was holding her, stopping her from falling.

"We'll do it together Peridot." She couldn't help but grin at that sparkle in his eyes.

And so they danced. Peridot had never done this before. She looked to Steven for advice but he seemed to just be improvising. He swung her around with a grip strong enough to not let go but soft enough to not hurt her. She decided to wing it as well and joined Steven in his twirl.

A bright light and she was taller. Steven wasn't there anymore but felt closer. She looked in her reflection, but also didn't. Steven helped and also looked in the reflection. She had four eyes as was expected, a Pink octagon gem with a green triangular pattern that poked out of three sides lay on her forehead. She was a even more pale green than she was before, a swampish yet reddish green was her skin color now. She had four arms, matching her eyes, no four legs though. Her belly was thicker but less wobbly than Steven's. The same triangular pattern kept going on with her hair but was more messy and her shirt's triangular pattern formed a Three corner star.

They lifted the panel off easily. They touched a button easily, everything was going smoothly. She felt wonderful.

The entire surface of the room except the floor was covered in various gem experiments.

"The Kindergarten on earth was being used to experiment with artificial fusion. We didn't really have any other use for it. Those are the Gem experiments that used to inhabit this site."

"Oh so that's why this is here." This was going to take some getting used to.

"They are only the building blocks though for the final one. The Cluster. A giant artificial fusion, comprised of millions of gem shards forming in the earth's core." They defused and looked at the screen's predictions of the earth exploding.

"You're saying that a giant mutant gem the size of the earth is growing right below us, right now?"

"Oh no, when the gem's fully formed it will be much bigger than the earth. It will form until it bursts out of the center, destroying the earth. The prototypes are already emerging, the cluster is next. If we can't get off the planet we've got to stop the cluster! I'd thought it would be impossible but now we have a chance."

"What's that?" Peridot quickly jumped into his chest.

She looked into his eyes. "It's you Steven!"

"Uh Peridot?"

"Oh Steven… What is it?"

"The artifici- mutant gems are still here."

"What."

A screech was heard from the entrance.

Peridot and Steven fused unknowingly but on purpose. They ran past the mutant that fell down as it lunged at them. Everywhere there were mutants. Mutants everywhere.

They tried to run past them to the warp but they formed a wall. A horde of mutants wormed and clawed their way towards them.

"We need to get away!"

"Let's go into this corner!" They ran into the corner. "Oh no we're cornered!"

Instinctively Steven's arms reached toward their belly. It fell off and Steven used it as a shield. After the first mutant slammed into it, a pink bubble surround Steven and Peridot from the shield.

Too many mutants though were pushing and prodding at the bubble and it began to deteriorate. It disintegrated but not before letting loose a charge that blew all the fusions away.

"I'll get them with my punches!" Periven punched a fusion but to no effect.

"Let me try!" A welcome voice called out. Garnet punched the beast with her Fists of Power! Pearl and Amethyst we're finishing off the rest of the mutants. Garnet though stood and looked at the Fusion of Steven and Peridot.

"Who did you fuse with Peridot? Some poor gem that formed here? Where is Steven?"

"She didn't fuse with a gem made here! She fused with me!" They separated and Garnet stepped back.

"Steven!" Pearl came running over. "What were you two doing here?" Peridot cuddled up to Steven.

"We came here to learn about the Cluster." Steven said.

"Steven I thought I told you to keep an eye on her." Garnet put her hands on her hips.

"He did." Peridot's muffled voice came from Steven's shirt.

"Then why are you two here?" Amethyst was still beating up mutants.

"Because with his knowledge of earth and my knowledge of the cluster we can stop the cluster!"

"Is that all you love me for? The reason you protect me? My knowledge?" Wait what? Was that what he thought? How could he even think that? How did he even come to a conclusion as far off as that in the first place?

"Steven…" She didn't let go. "That's not it."

But Steven did let go. "Then what is it?" Steven walked away as her eyes welled up in tears. What even just happened?

"It's your eyes!" Steven turned back.

"Huh?"

"Your eyes! The sparkle you give me… The smile you wear on your face even in danger. The fact that you're one of the only perfect people on this planet, no! That I've ever met. Everyone I've ever met has hated me, called me childish and not fit for duty. If they'd known about my size and age they would've had more reason to insult me. Even the Gem I came here with, Jasper, hated me. Only you saw me for who I was Steven. Only you…" She trailed off.

She was pulled into an embrace. By Steven, then Pearl, then Garnet and Amethyst. A group hug.

*Thump*

"So when did you two become a thing?" That was Amethyst.


End file.
